Folding machine



May 2, 1933. c. CHRISTIANSEN FOLDING MACHINE Filed June 1, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 2, 1933- c, CHRISTIANSEN 1,907,243

FOLDING MACHINE Filed June 1, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fee Patented May 2, 1933 7 UNITED. STATES PATENT; OFFICE CHRISTIAN CHRISTIANSEN, or SWAMPSCOTT,

MASfiACI-IUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR TO ROTARY MACHINE COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, A' CORPORATION OF IVIASS'ACI-I'U I SETTS FOLDING MACHINE Application filed June 1, 1832. Serial No. 614,715.

. This invention relates to folding machines for folding and pressing down the edges of various kinds of material, particularly'to that type of machine shown and described in the patent to Andrew R. Ridderstrom, No. 1,743,286, dated January 14, 1930. The machine of the invention is especially adapted for folding the edges of upper stock of footwear, as, for instance, for folding the edge of a binding strip. previously stitched to the edge of the leather or other material-for the shoe upper. Q

In the type of folding machine to which the present invention is directed it has been discovered that for proper operation a certain relationship must be accurately main? tained between the plane of the rotary series of folding discs, the lower work supporting roll, the guide rib on the latter and the plow which turns the edge of the material. This relationship must be such that the working plane of the rotary series of folding discs engages the work, positioned between the same and the lower work supporting roll, at a point directly above the projected intersection of the axes of the work supporting roll and theseriesof discs, as viewedin plan, irrespective of the amount of separation of the roll and discs, as determined by the thicknessof the work andas near as practically possible to the guide ridge. The lower work supporting roll and. plowconstitute a unit which is depressed by a foot treadle to allow the insertion of the work. In the machine, as heretofore constructed, this unit is carried by an arm extending radially froma rotary rock shaft at one side of the working point and therefore moves in an are about the axis of this rock shaft. The horizontal component of this are j tends to disturb the accurate relationshipabove referred to as the thickness'of the work varies. Also, any wear inthe bearings of the'rock shaft will tend further to upset this rela- 'pendicular to the latter.

tionsliip and interfere with the proper operation of the machine.

In. accordance with the present invention the support which carries the lower work supporting roll is guided for Vertical rectilinear movement in a guide on the frame of the machine so that as the support is moved toward or away from the rotary head or rotary series of folding discs a predetermined selected point in the axis of the lower roll is moved along a line through such selected point and the axis of the head and per- The invention will be more clearly undertion is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying draw- 1ngs,since the invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practised or carried out in variousways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminologyeinployed herein. is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims hereto appended as considered in view of the prior art and the requirements thereof. 1

The machine illustrated comprises in general a frame 10 having an overhanging portion 11 providing a bearing for rotatably supporting a shaft 12. Secured to one end of the shaft 12 is a spiral gear 13 meshing through the medium of suitable clutch mechanism.

Secured to the shaft 12 is a rotary head or upper roll 20. This rotary head is mounted on an aXis extending at an angle transverse to the direction of feed. The head carries a series of rotary discs 21 which form the operative portion ofthe head'and are mounted on short shafts (not shown) withinthehead rotated from the shaft 12. a Each of the discs 20 is provided withan arcuate notch 22 and the arrangement of the discs and the construction of the notches thereof are such that during the operation the notches will straddle the folded edge ofthe material without flattening the French cord edge.

Beneath the rotary head 20 is mounted a work supporting roll'24 rotatably carried by a support 25 and is operatively connected to a flexible shaft 26. The shaft 26 is provided with an extension 27carrying aworm wheel 28 a'daptedto engage a worm 29 carried on one en'd of a shaft 30. The other end of the shaft 30 carries a worm wheel 31 adapted to engage a worm 32 on the main drive shaft'15. Extending through the sidewall ofthe frame 10 is a shaft 33 carrying an .arm'34. The arm 34 is provided with an inclined guide 35 within which is slidably mounted a retainer bar 36 controlled by a spring 37. The lower end of the retainer bar 36 is bifurcated to provide forked arms 38 and 39. A retainer roll 40 is rotatably mounted between the arms 38 and 39 upon .a pin 41 and cooperates with a projecting annular guide rib 42 formed on the lower work supporting roll 24.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the support 25 for the lower work supporting roll 24 is integral with a cylindrical member 45 forming part of the support for the roll '24 and having a cylindrical recess 46. The member 45 is slidably received in a cylindrical recess 47 formed in a cylindrical member 48 forming another part of the. support for the roll 24 and being slidably mountedin a suitable guideway 49 in the frame 10. A rod 50 extends through a passage 51 in the member 48 and is'secured at its upper end in the member 45. A spring 52 surrounds the rod. 50 with one end in engagement with the bottom of the recess 47 and its other end in engagement with the bottom of the recess 46 and-is adapted to urge the work supporting roll 24 resiliently toward the head 20. Nuts 53 are threaded on the rod 50 adapted to engage the lower surface of the enlargement 60 of the member 48 and serve to adjust the action of the spring 52. An arm 54 integral with the member 45 extends laterally therefrom and is provided at its free end with a guide block 55 adapted to engage a guide56 suitably secured upon the frame 10 as by a screw 57.

Preferably, the telescoping members 45 and 48 are positioned and arranged to cooperate with the guide block 55 and guide 56 to cause a predetermined selected point in the axis of the work supporting roll 24 to move along a line through said selected point and the aXisof the head or rotary series of folding discs and perpendicular to the axis of the latter.

The lowerend of the member 48 is provided with an enlargement 60 providinga shoulder 61 adapted to engage a shoulder 62 on the frame 10 and serves as a stop limiting the movement of the member 48 toward the head 20. An arm 63extends from the enlargement 60 and is provided with a slot 64 through Which extends a rod 65 adjustably threaded in the frame 10-and adapted to be locked in adjusted-position by a-1ocknut67. The rod 65 is provided with a stop 68 above the arm 63 and astop 69 below the arm 63. The arm 63 is also provided witha slotj70 in which a block71 is rotatably mounted upon a pin 72 fixed in the arm 63 and extending across the slot 70. An arm 74 is fixed, as by a set screw 76, upon a-shaft 7 5' rotatably mounted inthe frame 10. The arm 74 is provided with a forked end adapted toextend into the slot 70 in the arm63 and embrace the block 71. A spring-77 is secured at one end to a stud 78 fixed in the frame 10 and is secured at its other end to an arm 79 extending radially from a hub80 suitably fixed upon the shaft 75. 'A rod 81 is suitably-connected at one end to afoot treadle (not shown) and at itsiother end to the arm 79.

In the operation of the machine the operator steps upon the foot'treadle to move the rod 81 in the direction of the arrow as shown in Fig. 1 thereby causing the work supporting roll 24 to move away from the series of rotary vdiscs 21 to permit the insertion of the work therebetween. The foot 'treadle then is released to permit the spring 7 7 e toturn the shaft '75 and cause the arm'70-carried by the latter to move the member-48 toward the head 20 until .the shoulders 61 engages the shoulder-.62. The foot treadle is operatively associated with mechanism not described and which forms no part of the present invention for moving the retainer roll out of its o-perativecposition during the insertion ofthe work vand for returning the same after the work has been inserted. The spring .52 then acts to move the member 45 relative to the member 48and move the work supporting roll 24 and work against the series of rotary discs 21'. As illustrated the machine 'isadjusted for work of minimum thickness. If workof greater thickness is'to be folded, the rod 65 is adjusted in the frame so as to cause the i-so stop 68 to engage the arm 63 before the shoulder 61 is brought into engagement with the shoulder 62 to limit the movement of the member 48 toward the head so that the spring 52 will exert the desired force to cause the work supporting roll 24 to hold the work between the same and the rotary series of discs 21. hen the work has been inserted between the work supporting roll 24 and the series of rotary discs 21 the operation actuates suitable clutch mechanism to connect the main drive shaft 15 with a suitable source of power to rotate the same thus causing the head 20 and each of the discs 21 to rotate and at the same time causing the work supporting roll 24 to rotate. The rotation of these members causes the work to be fed between the work supporting roll 24 and the rotary series of discs 21 and the edge of the work to be folded as described in detail in the above-mentioned patent to Andrew R. Ridderstrom.

I claim:

1. In a folding machine having means for feeding and folding the edge of a material including a work supporting roll and a rotatable head, the axis of said head being angularly disposed with respect to the axis of said roll, the combination therewith of a movable support adapted to move a selected point in the axis of said roll toward and away from said head along a line through and perpen dicula-r to the axis of said head and through said point, a guide for said support adapted to cause said support to move in a plane through said line, and means for moving said support along said guide.

2. In a folding machine having means for feeding and folding the edge of a material including a work supporting roll and a rotatable head, the axis of said head being angularly disposed with respect to the axis of said roll, the combination therewith of a movable support adapted to move a selected point in the axis of said roll toward and away from said head along a line through and perpendicular to the axis of said head and throughsaid point, a guide for said support adapted to cause said support to move in a plane through said line, said support comprising inner. and outer telescoping members movable relatively parallel to said line, and means for moving said support toward said head including a resilient connection between said telescoping members.

3. In a folding machine having means for feeding and folding the edge of a material including a work supporting roll and a rotatable head, the axis of said head being angularly disposed with a respect to the axis of said roll, the combination therewith of a movable support adapted to move a selected point in the axis of said roll toward and away from said head along a line through and perpendicular to the axis of said head and through'saidpoint, aguidefor said support adapted to cause said support to ,move inja plane through said ;lin e,said support comprisinginner and outer telescopingmembers, said members being movable relatively parallel to said line-,resiIient means for urgingsaidouter member toward said head, anda resilient connection between said memlkolersi for urging the; inner membertoward said 4. In a folding machine having means for feeding 'and -foldingthe edge of a material including'a work supporting roll and a rotatable head, the axis of said head being angularly disposed with respect to the axis of said roll, the combination therewith of a movable support adapted to move a selected point in the axis of said roll toward and away from said head along a line through and perpendicular to the axis of said head and through said point, a guide for said support adapted to cause said support to move in a plane through said line, said support comprising inner and outer telescoping members movable relatively parallel to said line, means for moving said support toward said head including a resilient connection between said telescoping members, and means for limiting the movement of said outer member toward said head.

5. In a folding machine having means for feeding and folding the edge of a material including a work supporting roll and a rotatable head, the axis of said head being angularly disposed with respect to the axis of said roll, the combination therewith of a movable support adapted to move a selected point in the axis of said roll toward and away from said head along a line through and perpendicular to the axis of said head and through said point, a guide for said support adapted to cause said support to move in a plane through said line, said support com prising inner andouter telescoping members, said members being movable relatively parallel to said line, resilient means for urging said outer member toward said head, and a resilient connection between said members for urging the inner member toward said head, and an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of said outer member toward said head.

6. In a folding machine having means for feeding and folding the edge of a material including a work supporting roll and a rotatable head, the axis of said head being angularly disposed with respect to the axis of said roll, the combination therewith of a movable support adapted to move a selected point in the axis of said .roll toward and away from said head along a line through port comprising inner and outer telescopin'g" members, saidmembers bein movable rlativly naral lel to said line, a resilient connect-1m between said members for urging 5 the inner member toward said head, resilient means 01 urging saidouter member to- Waid said head with greatr force than said inner inember-is urgd toward said head by Said fsi-l'ient'cbnfiection, and a: stop for limiting the mqvement of said outer mein'be'i In testimony whereof I a-ffix myslgnature.

Y CHRISTIAN OHHISTIANSQEN; 

